


fucking popular

by daysgoby



Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - High School, Attempt at Humor, Epic Friendship, Fluff and Crack, Football player Mickey, Homophobic Language, Idk mickey obsess over ian but too chicken shit to do anything, M/M, Mama Milkovich aka Laura Milkovich is Alive, Out of the Closet Mickey Milkovich, POV Multiple, Painter Ian, Pining, Racist Language, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-27
Updated: 2020-04-22
Packaged: 2021-02-27 23:00:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,921
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22923721
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/daysgoby/pseuds/daysgoby
Summary: The one where everyone and their fucking third cousin put their nose into Mickey’s very much private life and he did not like it (Ian kind of did though)A high school au that nobody asked me to write but did anyways.
Relationships: Ian Gallagher/Mickey Milkovich, Kevin Ball & Iggy Milkovich & Colin Milkovich
Comments: 18
Kudos: 139





	1. the one where mickey lost his mind

**Author's Note:**

> So, hi!  
> In this universe Mickey is captain of the football team, and honestly i have absolutely no idea what an captain does, i just wanted lil'mickey to be in charge and Ian is an art freak with freaky clothes, which is totally cameron's fault with his wardrobe from gotham and photoshoots from various fashion magazines. 
> 
> Mickey is out and his family accept him, although homophobic language and homophobia is still present, because I mean they are Terry Milkovich children. Also, in my head Laura Milkovich is played by Lena Headley (because helloooo, have you seen her in everyday clothing with the tattoos) and Mickey have inheritated his patience of other languages from her; that is all thank yoooooou.

Once again his gaze wandered over the cafeteria, eyes landing on a bright mustard yellow beanie. He didn’t mean to stare but at this rate it happened so often he didn’t even try to fight it anymore. He wanted it to stop. He wanted to not be attracted to odd people in general. But he was and it was fucking ridiculous.  
  
Red hair wasn’t supposed to go together with bright mustard-yellow, and neither was the [pink and golden sweatshirt](https://i.pinimg.com/564x/b5/58/3d/b5583dec9075e55d79c9b1567091e995.jpg) with those bright green pants. It looked fucking dumb.  
  
“Aye man, come on. Can you even at least pretend you’re talking to me and not eye fucking Gallagher?” Iggy kicked Mickey’s leg under the table to get his attention.  
  
“Fuck off, ain’t eye fucking no one” Mickey said and returned to his cold fries, drowning them in ketchup before taking a bite. He spared his brother a glance, frowning at the smirk. Like Iggy wasn’t drooling after that blonde cheerleader with a bad case of acne at any given chance. Hypocritical fucker.  
  
Colin hummed and stole a few fries from Mickey’s plate. He fucking hated that they went to the same fucking school. 

“I don’t get why you don’t just give him your jersey jacket and dump him with the rest of the Girlfriends. You’re the fucking Captain of the football team and he’s an art freak. You get laid and he gets fucking popular. It’s a win-win situation”  
  
“The fuck you on? He’s not a fucking girl dipshit, that’s kind of the point with the whole putting the dick in the ass.” Iggy said, punching Colin in the shoulder. “Don’t give him your jersey jacket Mick, that’s a fucking faggot thing to do – just, follow him from school and give him a hummer. That’s how you win a guy over”  
  
“He is a faggot, that’s why they put their dicks into butts, fuckhead” Colin raised his voice, pushing Iggy away from him. “Girly shit is what gay people likes!”  
  
Mickey wanted to tear his hair out, he wanted to shoot their fucking brains out. He was the only sane Milkovich, swear to fucking god. He turned his head, unconsciously seeking for the red head, and for once Gallagher was staring right back at him. At this point Iggy and Collin had pushed back from the table as they fought louder. Just his fucking luck.  
  


X  
  
He couldn’t help to compare as he watched Gallagher stand at his locker, talking to some girl. Mickey had never liked colors. He stuck with black and grey and white, sometimes when he felt adventurous, he put on something blue. And Gallagher’s wardrobe seemed to contain splashes from the rainbow.  
  
Today Gallagher were wearing a white t-shirt, the pale color making his freckles pop out even more, and a pair of [baggy pants with color blocks](https://i.pinimg.com/564x/33/6e/63/336e6341c4fbc98319a6b009a0f7879d.jpg); black, red, purple, yellow and blue. Gallagher was wearing lots of jewelry on wrist, hands and neck but it more enduring than tacky. Mickey was aware that it might be his dick talking but he found it difficult to care. Mickey couldn’t help to think that if he was next to Gallagher it wouldn’t look so stupid.  
  
He watched as Gallagher took his books and followed the girl to their next class. He wondered when he became such a bitch to moon about some loner kid he hadn’t even talked to, except for the few moments last year when Mickey told him to move the fuck away so he could pass.

Mickey didn’t fucking know how he could be so fucking shy around that guy when he had no fucking problem making his intention known to everyone else, loudly and aggressive. Yet around that fucker he was looking at the floor and choking on air. 

X

  
“Dads been asking about you” Mandy said as she lit up a cigarette. Mickey grunted at took the lighter from her so he could do the same.  
  
“He wants you to visit him”  
  
Mickey scoffed. “He wants his faggot of a son to visit him in the lock up, really?” 

That’s a stupid fucking idea all together. Not that Terry been stupid enough to tell the others about him but it’s still a risky move.  
  
“Fuck off Mickey, at least he’s trying.” 

Mickey glanced as his sister, wanting to tell her that if he didn’t do well with football, his father wouldn’t try at all. Tell her that when Terry first found out that he was gay he had tried to throw their TV on him, it almost hit him too, and kicked him so hard in the stomach he couldn’t breathe. But that was pointless to point out in the end, she wouldn’t get it – she had always been their favorite, their little princess.

Mickey took a big breath before throwing the cigarette away before going inside the house were his mother had some lame yoga instruction on and half assed tried to copy the moves while she smoked and had an open bottle of wine next to her. 

He sat next to her on the couch and accepted the bottle when she gave it to him, taking a few gulps before handing it back. With whatever shitstorm he had with Terry, he at least had his mom. That gotta count for something. 

X

“Is it just redheads?”  
  
Kev’s voice brought Mickey out of his head as he tried to decide if he was gonna spend some of the money his mom gave him on cigarettes and pringles and skip one of the bottles of wine she had on the list. 

“Just red head what?” Mickey raised his head only to see Kev standing on the other side of the shelf, looking down on him. 

“That you wanna bang?”

Mickey had never really liked Kev that much. He was chill and a pretty fucking good quarterback, but he was also annoying. Mickey didn’t really tolerate annoying people on principle. But yet it seemed these days he surrounded himself with people that made him want to commit murder. 

When Mickey didn’t answer Kev rounded the shelf to stand next to him, towering over him yet looking _soft_. Mickey was pretty sure if he was as tall as Kev he wouldn’t look soft at all. 

“I’ve been thinking man-“  
  
“That’s never a good idea” Mickey interrupted and threw the pringles he had been eyeing in the carrier. 

“Funny,” Kev drawled while he followed Mick through the store. “Real comedian, doesn’t really answer my question though.”  
  
Mickey grabbed two bottles of the cheapest wine he could find, that probably tasted like piss, and headed towards the checkout.  
  
“You asking me if I like banging chicks with red hair? Fuck do I care man” Mickey grabbed the money from his pocket and put them on the counter as he asked for a pack of cigarettes too.  
  
Mickey ignored the skewed look he got from Kev. It was fucking whatever if he decided to act all weird about it.  
  
“You coming to practice tonight right? Coach’s gonna have your balls if you don’t fucking show up at practice before the big game on Friday.” He opened his new pack and pulled out a smoke which Kev kindly lighted with his match. 

“Yeah don’t worry about it, Vee’s gonna be there and cheer for me”

Mickey snorted at the response and passed the smoke over to Kev’s waiting hand. 

“Fiona’s gonna come too”  
  
“The cheerleaders gonna show up to a football game? Shocking. Got anymore mind-blowing information before I ditch your ass?” Sometimes Mickey wondered how Kev still was in high school, considering he was three years older than him but then stuff like this came out of his mouth. 

“No need to bitch about it, I’m just saying. The Gallagher’s are close you know, supportive - nice.” 

“You’re not trying to drag Fiona into your fucked up relationship with Vee right?” Mickey mused. “I mean it’d be hot but they would put you on a leash” 

“What no, that’s not what I meant” Kev pushed Mickey’s shoulder in exasperation. “You know what, forget about it”  
  
Mickey swallowed his smirk and idly listened when Kev changed the subject to his crazy as fuck foster parents, humming in acknowledge whenever Kev said the word ‘right?’.

X

Energy flooded through his body. Around him his team was warming up, the cheerleaders were goading the crowd to make some noise. Mickey accepted the water bottle from Colin as his eyes wandered through the crowds. Mandy had said she was gonna show up but considering this had never been her thing he wouldn’t be surprised if she didn’t. 

Iggy jumped up on Kev’s back making them fall on the grass, roaring chants together with the cheerleaders. Mickey didn’t even try to not judge him as his brother laid on the grass laughing while Kev swore and tried to spit out the mud that got caught in his mouth. 

The crowd was screaming when they got into position and when the whistle was heard Mickey zoned out anything that didn’t contain getting that fucking misshapen ball across the field and ram into whatever body that got in the way. 

When the game was over Iggy was screaming his lungs out like an idiot, Kev was trying to stop a nosebleed, the rest of the team covered in dirt and sweat and Mickey was sitting on the bench for starting a fight with one of the other team; holding an ice pack to his face, but none of that matter because they fucking won.  
  
Mickey searched the bleachers until he found his sister standing next to one of her friends, cheering a bit more enthusiastically when she spotted him. In the corner of his eye he thought he saw a flash of bright orange but it disappeared so quickly Mickey knew he had to be wishful thinking rather than reality. It was fucking ridiculous. He had reached level of obsession that he started to _see_ things. Mickey needed to get a fucking grip and get the guy out of his head. Fucking gingers and their freckles, made a guy go insane swear to fucking god. 

X

Okay so maybe Mickey should’ve not taken that last shot, maybe he should’ve have had a glass of water after he did a pretty fucking impressive keg stand and maybe he should’ve hightailed the fuck out of there when he saw Kev sling an arm around Iggy’s shoulders. 

Mickey’s not gonna lie, there’s a lot of maybes and should’ves that he could have thought about before doing them and then he would at least be able to stand on his two fucking feet without falling forward. But done is done and Mickey’s feeling pretty good right now. He would’ve been feeling better if Iggy and Kev wasn’t laughing at him but beggars can’t be choosers and all that. 

Using the wall as support he stumbled away from the crowd as he simultaneously tried to wrestle a cigarette from the pack so he could smoke out at the alley. It took longer than Mickey was willing to admit getting a cigarette out, and his knees was a bit bruised from when he misplaced a step when he walked down the stairs. Fucking building had stairs, was full of them, but didn’t have one single elevator. 

His head became only slightly less cloudy when he stepped out in the fresh night air, but he hardly felt it, focusing on finding his lighter which became a lot harder when he realized it was gone. Squinting he looked both ways down the alley to find someone who might have a light. He had to take a few steps but he thought he saw someone sit a few feet away leaning his head on the wall. 

“Aye, you got a light?” Mickey walked slowly towards the figure so he wouldn't stumble, absently thinking that if the guy was going to beat him up he would have a hell of a hangover tomorrow. 

“Uh, yeah” From the distance Mickey could see the guy put his hand into a pocket to fish the lighter out and Mickey bent down as the guy lit the lighter and was met with a freckled face.

Mickey was pretty sure he had never been this close to Gallagher, their faces almost threatening to touch because of Mickey’s lack of balance. He wrinkled his eyebrows as he took in the rest of Gallagher, noticing that the guy hadn’t a single colorful piece of clothing on him and his hair lacked the vibrant red. 

“Your hair is brown.” Mickey accused, and he was _not_ pouting fuck you. 

Gallagher quirked his eyebrows as if the sight of Mickey amused him. And it wasn’t attractive at all. “Upset you guys can’t call me carrot-top anymore? Must be fucking terrible to come up with another idiotic slur” Gallagher said as he stole Mickey’s cigarette to guide it to his lips. 

Mickey could feel his lower lip slide down as he tried to figure the fuck out what Gallagher meant. Now he hadn’t really heard anyone call him carrot-top, it was a pretty stupid one to begin with. If Mickey was gonna pull out the big guns with name-calling he wasn’t gonna take the most obvious one. 

“Unless you made sure the carpet matches the drapes, I suppose I can still call you-“ Mickey started but he wasn’t able to finish the sentence as Gallagher pushed him down on the ground with a ‘fuck off’.

It was pretty fucking unpleasant to be pushed on the cold ground. Gallagher still had his cigarette and the whole brown hair-black clothes was starting to piss Mickey off. It was _wrong_. 

“You’re wearing black” He could feel the frustration bleed into his voice, but he found it difficult to care.

Gallagher let out a disbelieving snort, “Am I offending you with my appearance?”

Mickey scowled. He made an effort to sit up and take his cigarette back but gravity was a bitch. He wanted to smoke but his arms and legs wouldn’t obey him. It felt like a mission that only Tom Cruise could pull off.

“You still look pretty” it slipped out with a sigh before he had any chance of controlling himself and fuck him if he didn’t sound _pathetic_. 

Mickey could feel Gallagher’s stare but he kept his eyes pointed to the sky, not wanting to believe it was those words that Mickey had said. He was just about to save the situation by making up some dumb excuse so they could move on, but right that moment Kev and Iggy stumbled out and yelled his name. Within a second Gallagher was gone and that was even more frustrating than his brown hair.

“Aye Mick, why are you on the ground?” Kev cackled as they walked towards him with Iggy on his side. “This is why we can’t take you to nice places; got a tolerance like a fucking preteen, right Iggs?”

Iggy gave an agreeing hum as he stared down the alley, watching a familiar silhouette walk away. “Fucking embarrassing.”  
  


X

“Iggs you sure about this? Seems kind of …” Colin said looking around to see if anybody was nearby. 

“Could you fuckin’ relax man? It’s not like we’re gonna kidnap and murder him then throw him in the river” Iggy grunted as he tried to break open the lock. He had tried to use wires but now he was just pulling at the look, swearing as he went. 

“You can’t use that as an excuse to everything”

Iggy turned to look at Colin, affronted. “I do fucking not say that to everything”

Colin scoffed, “Yeah, what about that time at Lily’s place when you stole that bag of weed from that guy or when you found Mandy’s vibrator and dropped it in the toilet and left it there. You know she still gives me these looks” 

Iggy was about to raise his voice when they heard a door bang shut and footsteps echoed through the hallway. Both of them freezed as the footsteps came closer, then it turned a corner away from them, slowly disappearing. 

Iggy started to pull the lock once again more frantic, but this time Colin sighed and pushed him away. “Just let me do it” 

He took the wires and in a few second the lock was opened. Not wanting to get caught they opened the looker and quickly riffled through the papers and books; most of it ended up on the floor. 

“You sure it’s Gallagher’s locker?” Colin said, looking at the papers with confusion. 

“Uh yeah? I mean I think so.” Iggy looked just as confused as Colin as he dumped everything at the floor. There was nothing useful in there which made them both pretty lost for words. 

Colin scratched his head and inspected the looker numbers around him. The plan they had involved that Gallagher had like a diary of some sorts so they could get some sorts of top-secret information about the guy. But all they found was a biology book and notes from classes, and a drawing or two. 

“Maybe he doesn’t have a diary?” Colin mused. 

“The guy’s a fairy. It be fucking weird if he doesn’t have one. Maybe he’s carrying it around with him?”

“Yeah, that’s smart – he’s a fucking smart guy that one” Colin started to put the papers and book inside the locker again, trying to make it look like it did before. “Maybe we should take him out after school, steal his bag or something?”

“The fuck you doing?” Both of the brothers jumped at the sound and turned around to see Lip coming down the hallway towards them. Neither of the brothers gave a responds more than “shit” and “fucking hell” before taking off, hands still holding on to some of Gallaghers stuff. 

Not that any of them would otherwise back down for a fight, but this was something they both agreed needed to be on the down low. Fucking Mickey would beat them unconscious if he found out about this. 

X

He could feel eyes on him, multiple eyes actually. He tried to act normal and not fidget, sipping from sin Coke can and eating his PB&J sandwich. Mickey had learned the hard way that cheerleaders had a certain presence that would not allow them to be ignored. Kind of like gonorrhea. 

He thought that it would be a nice lunch for once, because Colin and Iggy had fucked off to do God knows what, but instead Kev had brought Vee and Fiona to their table. The girls usually kept with the other cheerleaders or Gallaghers, but apparently not today. Today they sat at Mickey’s table and stared at him. 

Kev was going through his math homework, mostly sighing and grunting than actually solving the problems. Mickey would’ve made an remarke to that if Vee hadn’t been there, and Fiona looking like she was doing her best to pick a fight. 

“So Mickey. What do you like to do” 

Mickeys eye twitched as Fiona’s voice cut through the silence. It was a fucking stupid question so he wanted to tell her to fuck off or ignore her, but sadly she was holding her cutlery up like she wasn’t shy to use them and Vee hadn’t blinked in two minutes. 

“Football”

Kev grunted, agreeing with Mickey, his head still deep in his books. “Hell yeah football”

“Fascinating. Other interests?”

His sandwich was tasteless, it actually grew in his mouth as he chewed. “No” 

“So you’re boring?” Vee asked. 

Mickey gave up. He put his sandwich away and let out a sigh. He hoped he wasn’t one of those who peaked in high school, because that would fucking suck. “Sure”

“What you gonna do after you graduate?” 

“Mind my own business” 

Fiona raised her eyebrows at his answer and he was quick to matched them with his own, daring her to push further. 

Without thinking about it he searched for a familiar figure, hoping it would give him some kind of comfort but surprisingly he couldn’t find what he was looking for. He caught his lip between his teeth. Mickey was a senior and Gallagher was two years younger, so he didn’t share any classes with him. To get his daily dosage of colors he saw Gallagher at lunch or in the hallways, usually at the end of the day. 

“Rachel has a thing for you” Vee slapped the table for Mickey attention. “Do you think she’s hot?”

Fiona was pointing to a busty brunette who he kind of recognized, figured she was a cheerleader. 

“Whatever” Mickey shrugged and hoped it would get them off his back, and go back to ignoring him. 

Kev decided that moment that he had given his all to his homework and was done, shutting the books even though Mickey could see several questions blank. It made him smile but he got it under control when Vee pursed her lips. Mickey didn’t think it would happen, but he actually missed his brothers. Go figures. 

“You’re doing this all wrong, Mick likes redheads. Rach can go fuck herself” 

And on that note Mickey took his shit, gave them all the finger and left. But yeah, Kev was right; Rach could go fuck herself. 

X

It wasn’t like Mickey was a big momma’s boy, whipped like nobody’s business; he wasn't alright. He just happened to like his mother's company, she was chill as fuck and shared alcohol. She wasn’t perfect but close enough, which was why he was sitting next to her in a plush leather chair, feet in the air and getting a mani-pedi in some shady part in town.

His mom was slurping loudly on her take away cup she had filled with her usual cheap wine and Mickey huffed until she passed it along for him to take a sip. 

A worker, who they hadn’t seen before, was trying to ask her what color she wanted painted on her toes and Mickey barely held back his giggle as his mom tried to understand.

“Sweetheart for the last time I DON’T UNDERSTAND YOU, you don’t hafta raise your voice-” Laura was gesturing wildly with her hands, and the girl Lianne who was filing her nails tried grab a hold of her left hand again. 

The woman was holding up a pair of nail polish bottles, shoving them in her face her voice getting shriller when Laura just stared stupidly back.

“Do you understand this shit?” 

Mickey shrugged when the question was directed to him. He did but he was having fun so he didn’t really feel like helping out. 

With a sigh, his mother ran a hand through her black long hair much to Lianne’s frustration, “I want to look sexy. SEXY FINGERS. SEXY TOES” 

Mickey abruptly turned to the girls who was working his hands and feet, “We’re gonna have problems if any off her sexyness ends up on me, comprende amigo?”

“ _Oh_ they’re spanish?” Laura asked.

“Fuck if I k-” Mickey started but was interrupted by a voice that gave him nightmares.

“School is for losers, son. I’m gonna teach you about life. This country was founded by murdering thieves who stole land from the Indians and then genocided them and that’s why...” 

Frank Gallagher, piss excuse of a life had walked in and ruined Mickey’s fucking day. The little Gallagher sociopath was trailing after his father, nodding along as he looked around. 

“Oh talking about murdering thieves, how are you mrs Milkovich? How’s the husband, prison treating him right?” 

Mickey sucked on the straw, hoping for a brain freeze or a stroke, to erase the image of Frank’s sunny smile directed at his mother. Frank was wearing a brown tank top with matching shorts, well; they could be another color but smeared with dirt. Either way the sight matched the smell.

“Frank, how happy I am to run into you. Last time I checked you still owed us money” Laura purred, reaching out to grab a hold of the cup Mickey was clutching for dear life. 

Frank laughed nervously, “well life haven’t been kind to this old man recently. It says a lot about this country when the older doesn’t get the help that is much needed - Carl, are you writing this down?” 

Mickey glanced over just to find the little fucker standing right beside him, staring down at him. 

“You’re that football guy from school”

“No”

“I think you are”

“Clearly you’re mistaken” 

Mickey was pursing his lips, trying to chill the fuck out but he knew that his eyebrows were flying everywhere. He was goddammit trying to have a nice relaxing day to forget about fucking cheerleader assholes and gingers, but here he was assaulted with the rest of the Gallaghers.

“How about your handsome son? Is he single? I have a few children of my own. Perhaps he would like to meet any of them? Fiona my eldest is a beauty and Debbie, is a bit too young but give her a few years.. I have pretty sons too, if he happen to be walking down that path”

Mickey had apparently missed a bit of their conversations but it didn’t take a genius to figure out he was pimping out his offspring to cover his debt. 

“ _Perhaps_ my Mickey can come over on friday to teach you or your beautiful children how lovely it is to not owe Milkovich's any money and _perhaps_ give them a whole new found perspective on how nice it is to have kneecaps?”

Frank grabbed a hold on Carl’s hoodie, “Perhaps… We’ll talk later, unfortunately we are very very late.. Let’s bookmark this conversation my dear” 

Mickey and Laura watched how the pair stumbled out of the shop, as if there was fire under their asses. 

“I hear the art freak is pretty good looking though. I’m sure if you run after them the offer still stands” 

“With all due respect mom, fuck off”

X

A rythmic thumping beat echoed in his ears, it wasn’t thumping along to a song but more to Colin’s poor anxiety filled heart. He didn’t really know what it was that made him so fucking nervous. It could be that it was the fact he was acting solo, undercover, or the fact that if it blew up in his face Mickey would be _pissed_.

Unlike popular beliefs Colin wasn’t fucking stupid alright. He knew that Mickey wasn’t an abomination. He knew that his brother had a fuckload of heart and deserved the same chances that straight people had. Colin saw how he looked at Kev and Vee, and at Iggy when he sleazed his way from one girl to another without a care in the world. 

So when he had Gallagher’s schedule in his hands and noticed that their football practise on thursday and Gallaghers art class basically shared the same time at the end of the day, he had to do something about that. It was like destiny or some shit. 

So with all the love he had in his heart, he waited for the art room to empty out before he threw two premium quality stink bombs in the room, closed the door and quickly ran for his life. 

If he happened to be there when the teachers had a melt down later on, and innocently suggested that in this lovely spring weather the bleachers could be a healthy place for some art and fresh air, it really was nobody’s business. 

X

Much to Mickey’s frustration it wasn’t a dream; Gallaghers hair was still brown. The clothes were still colorful but not crazy mixed like he used to wear, and fitted ill so Mick assumed he was wearing Lip’s hand me downs. It was stupid but his whole mood went to shit after he realised it. He didn’t like that Gallagher had changed, and he also didn’t like that he had made a fucking fool out of himself. 

Not that Gallagher gave him any kind of attention or acknowledged that the alley-thing had happened; he walked by him without a glance and didn’t turn around when Mickey was standing behind him in the cafeteria line. Fucker smelled sweet and spicy and it did things to him alright.

Mickey didn’t know what the fuck he had to do to get the guy’s attention. Usually people just looked at him, and then he got to decide if he wanted to chit-chat or break the guy’s face. He didn’t like to small talk and he didn’t have a friendly smile. Maybe Iggy was right, maybe he needed to give the guy a hummer. That would surely break the ice and get his attention. 

The breaking point for Mickey wasn’t at lunch in the cafeteria but later in the evening when Mickey was going to his favorite store to steal. 

Mickey had grabbed a few bbq pringles, a pack of beer and were reaching for a snickers bar at the counter when he looked up to see Gallagher looking hella unimpressed. Mickey was too, because it wasn’t bad enough that his hair was brown, clothes dull but now the freckles was gone. Everything that gave him fucking joy in this life had gone away.

“What the fuck is your problem?!” Mickey snarled and threw the bar away, hitting the wall loudly.

“My problem? You’re robbing me but I’m the one with problems” Gallagher drawled, sitting just peachy on the stool behind the counter. His eyes followed the snicker bar as it landed on the floor. 

“What’s next huh? You’re gonna wear color contacts or shave your eyebrows off, _you sick fuck_ ”

“I- no, what’s happening...” 

Gallagher was giving him a look, like maybe Mickey needed calming sedative or maybe a nap, which made him furious because fucker didn’t even take him seriously. He was going out of his mind over a dude with zero interest in him. 

“What’s happening is that maybe, just maybe, your fucking actions have consequences dickface” 

And with that Mickey took his fucking stuff and left. When he got home he reflected over the fact that he was making it a habit to storm out just to end conversations, and maybe he needed to work on that. Some day. 

“Ok. So he’s losing it. That’s nice to know” Kev said, sitting on the floor behind the counter with his math homework in his lap. 

Lip nodded, his sides pressed against Kev with his pen still in the air. “The whole fucking family is losing it. Pretty sure I saw dumb and dumber breaking into Ian’s locker and Carl said that Mickey was getting a mani-pedi with his mom”

“Huh. He does have nice nails” Kev mused. “So how _do_ you solve number five?”

Lip continued explain the equation as Ian gaped, his eyes set on Mickey’s silhouette until it disappeared through the window. “What the hell?” Ian exhaled, and then, “So that’s why I can’t find my fucking biology notes”

X

“I can’t believe you ‘undercovered’ without me”

“I can’t believe that you ‘undercovered’ and it worked”

Colin was on cloud fucking nine as Iggy and Kev glared at the bleachers in disbelief. Mickey was still grumbling around and slowly pulling on his gear, eyes barely leaving the ground, so Colin couldn’t tell if his mission was a success or not.

The art students was milling about on the bleachers, including Gallagher. The teacher was giving directions about capturing the shift of seasons and give it your own special take, but the ginger was glancing over at the field more often than not. 

“This is fucking bullshit. This shit is like a fucking rom com and it’s because of this fucktard who just this morning wanted to go to another country to see how they celebrated 4th of July”

Kev choked on the water from his bottle and Colin mumbled a very weak ‘whatever’.

Coach blew his whistle which drew Mickey away from the sidelines and joined the team. Iggy slung an arm around his baby brother’s shoulder and Mickey didn’t shrug it away until coach sent them to run around the field to warm up. 

Colin could easily to tell when Mickey noticed Gallagher, his steps faltered for a second and his shoulder tensed. That and the fact that after that moment Mickey couldn’t keep his eyes off Gallagher and that awful [oversized pink dinosaur hoodie](https://66.media.tumblr.com/d12ba0fb49217b55dc81bc4998adde88/9c45601e91a82288-b3/s1280x1920/0a2da93040e0306093a4e084c4103ae9a1e55674.jpg) he was wearing paired with an leopard-print beanie. 

It was pretty funny, until Mickey looked away a few seconds to long and got a football in his face which led to him being buried underneath the rest of the team who tried to catch the ball. 

Not a single peep came from Mickey and that’s when both brothers realized that he probably was hurt. Quickly they pulled off the team only to find Mickey bleeding from his head and passed out.

“You are not allowed to go undercover alone ever again” Iggy stated as they watched coach try to bring Mick back into consciousness.

“He’s gonna fucking murder me” A whine broke out of Colin’s throat and Kev nodded solemnly.

When Mickey finally cracked open his eyes they all breathed out, shoulders slumping as the tension left. Colin wondered what he would have to do in order to keep Iggy quiet about this. If he knew his brother he would milk the fuck out of this. 

“Alright boys, Milkovich need to go to the nurse. Can someone walk him there?” Coach helped Mickey up, so he was sitting, and eyed him warily. 

Before Colin or anyone else had the chance to say something, Gallagher popped up out of nowhere, “I can take him, the class is over so I’m heading that way”

Iggy raised his eyebrows at the two goody shoes attitude Gallagher was showing but said nothing as the guy easily helped Mickey up, steadying him as they walked away. “Unbelievable”

X

A headache, a few cuts and some bruises. It felt worse but that was probably Mickey’s ego talking. The fact that he had lost focus on the one thing he actually was good at was fucking embarrassing to say the least. And over a fucking guy too. 

Mickey adjusted the ice pack the nurse had given him, so it rested on the swollen part on his upper lip rather than the bruise on his forehead where the ball had hit. As usual he couldn’t help himself, eyes wandering on the long legs, stupid clothes and the shape of his lips. This time was different then the rest thought, this time Gallagher was aware of Mickey’s attention as he sat on the opposite chair. 

“Debbie was at this job fair with her class last month, and now she wants to be a hairdresser; or wanted to be. My hair turned out alright but Lip’s got so bad he had to shave it off.” 

Mickey stared stubbornly at the floor, trying to compose himself indifferent. He hadn’t fucking asked and he didn’t fucking care, meltdown be damned. 

“I don’t really know what happened, just that she want to be an makeup artist now. So that’s why my freckles where gone. She put on some, uh, foundation” 

The silence that followed made Mickey’s skin itch, by social customs he knew it was his turn to speak which in return made him purse his lips. Maybe now Gallagher would go back to normal so Mickey could obsess about him in peace. 

“I guess I’m not still pretty without the freckles?” Gallagher pushed, and Mickey could feel his eye twitch at the memory of the party. 

A sigh escaped from the redhead, “The nurse said you where fine. What, you can only speak when pissed off?” 

“Fuck off” Mickey said without thinking, and he wondered how it slipped out when his throat felt squeezed shut. 

“So you’ve been looking at me. I’m guessing that’s it’s alright for me to look back then?” Gallagher leaned forward, elbows resting on his thighs. “It won’t get me punched or worse?”

“I’m not your keeper, do the fuck you want” Mickey raised his eyes at the last part, blue meeting green. “No it fucking won’t”

“Alright” A smirk grew on the redheads lips as he stood up. “See you around, Milkovich” 

And with that Mickey was alone in the office, an icepack to his face and feeling in his stomach that in fact, things would change from now. “See ya, Gallagher”


	2. art freak edition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> basically ian's reactions to the shitstorm that is mickey, and you know, life.   
> it's not long but it's something! also been trying to come up with ideas to continue this, so it actually might become a love story (i know right?! fun!) but it's been a challenge. figured i'd add this little thing that's already done and just laying around. hope you enjoy!

It started when he was seven. With the arrogance an nine year old shouldn’t have, Lip loomed over Ian with his arms crossed; “bet ya can’t climb that high, you’re only a little kid” Which was how Ian ended up breaking his leg and was stranded in the house during summer break, miserable, while his siblings and friends chased the sun and wreaked havoc.  Left to amuse himself he eventually found some markers and Ian realised that hours seemed like seconds when he painted. When paper ran out, he drew on his cast and then on whatever surface available much to Fiona’s dismay.

After his epiphony, it was easy to track his whereabouts, as he drew on tables, walls, mirrors, vehicles, paper; just everywhere he felt like. He tried to keep it out of school because if it could be linked to him they made him clean it up, which sucked. But on days where he just couldn’t focus on anything his only escape was to sketch. 

Ian was absorbed in correcting a pathetic looking dick that was drawn on the cafeteria table when he heard the word ‘faggot’. He emerged from his thoughts only to find the jocks fighting each other, about gays? A few giggles erupted around their table which made him clench his jaw, unable to stop staring at the jocks until they calmed down. A flash of blue caught his eyes for a second before returning his gaze to the fighting idiots. 

“Assholes” Fiona muttered and Lip hummed in agreement. “Don’t fucking listen to them Ian, okay?”

A crooked smile and a nod got them off his back and their conversation continued. He continued to shade the balls, wishing he had taken a red and a blue marker with him as it would help to create some 3D feel to it, but he only had a black one so that would have to do.  It wasn’t like the words that came out of their mouth didn’t bother him on some level, but as long it wasn’t directed at him it was easy to ignore. Survival 101; Southside Edition, as Lip liked to call it. 

“I’m working a night shift later at the diner and Ms.Tate asked me to come a bit earlier, so I have to leave right after practise” Fiona sighed as she clicked away on the phone, probably to count on how much she could bring in this week to the squirrel fund. “Can you guys handle dinner tonight? Sammi got a date”

Lip opened his mouth to come up with whatever excuse but Ian beat him to it, “Can’t make dinner but I’ll be home to help out after. I’m almost finished with that family portrait. How much more do we need for rent?” Ian ignored Lip’s scoff. 

“Only 8 bucks but we still haven’t paid for heating and electrical” 

Ian capted the marker as Lip went on about his tutoring (Ian hardly though fucking Karen counted as tutoring) , how he had one after school but thankfully the bell interrupted his speech. He grabbed his stuff and followed the stream off students leaving the cafeteria, his thoughts escaping to the clouds once again. 

X 

He knew that the existence of Sammi was a blessing to the Gallagher house. Thanks to Sammi, Fiona didn’t have to dropout of high school. Thanks to Sammi they had a source of stable income that came with benefits. Thanks to Sammi Ian didn’t have to worry about not affording his meds.  It was hard to remember that when Ian came home to find Frank lying in his bed, vomit over the covers with his pants down. Ian couldn’t fucking get how she still had a sweet spot for this shithead but she did, and she constantly let him in even though no one else wanted him to be there.  _ ‘ _

_ Daddy’s doing his best, he loves us all. We can’t abandon him’.  _ As if that wasn’t what he had done to her, to them all at one point or the other. Ian grabbed a handful of his hair, trying to control his breathing. He could hear dr. Wells voice in his ears saying ‘it’s important to avoid stressful environments’, as if he’d have a choice in that matter. Breathing didn’t help, not with the smell that radiated off Frank and now his maddress. 

“LIP FIONA, JUST- ANYONE” Ian yelled, dismissing his breathing exercise while making a loose promise to himself that he would go running, or something later. 

In a few minutes he had his siblings pressed against him as the stood in the doorway, staring at Frank sad form. 

“I’ll grab the legs, Lip and Ian you take arms” Fiona taking charge, hands on her hips, still in her cheerleading uniform. 

“And we’ll do what with the maddress? It’s fucking destroyed” Lip argued as he moved forward to lift on the sheets, revealing dark spots underneath. “Fuck, this smell is just..” 

Ian groaned as Debbie gave him a hug, eyes big but determined as she took in the scene. 

“Fine. We’ll drag both out to the curb” 

After a moment of silence they all nodded, and then got to work. In the background Ian could hear Sammi’s soft complaints and promises, begging them to carry Frank to the bathroom to clean him up instead but the only responds she got was them all giving her the finger. 

  
  


Afterward Ian went straight to the shower, scrubbing himself raw trying to keep his emotions in check. He knew that it was getting late, and that he should get ready for bed but it felt like ants crawling over his body. He needed to do something to ease up on the tension that had grabbed a hold of his body. 

Fucking shit week.  His math teacher had been giving him a talk about him needing to fix his grades if he ever wanted to pass his class. The washing machine had broke down and they barely had enough cash to wash the clothes at the laundromat, due to the fact that Frank had found some of the cash they had stored around the house. Debbie had experimented with his hair, promised him that she was only gonna give him some highlights but ended up colouring his hair dark brown. 

Ian grabbed some clothes that might be Lip’s, black and blue, and without giving it much thought he sneaked out from the house. He grabbed the backpack he stashed under the porch and let his feet lead the way, spray cans rattling on his back as he went. 

X

_ ‘You still look pretty’ _

Ian hadn’t really given any Milkovich much of a thought. They were around. They were dicks. All of them were in the avoid section in ‘Survival 101’ but now Mickey was on Ian radar, and he couldn’t get him out of his head. 

Black hair, straight nose, blue eyes and god bone structure. Pretty lips, no beautiful lips. Ian traced the shape of his upper lip on his stomach, over and over again. Built like a fucking pitbull thanks to fotball. A sigh escaped his lips as he stared at the living room ceiling. 

His watch showed that it was four in the morning. He knew this wasn’t fucking good. Lack of sleep, stressed… Pushing a fucking Milkovich to the ground. It wasn’t uncontrollable but Ian could easily start cleaning, go for a run, start five thousand paintings and it still wouldn’t be enough for him to sleep. 

Ian traced the shape of Mickey’s face until the sun was up and he could hear thumping in the ceiling, signaling that his family was getting up to start the day. 

X

Ian saw it like a cleansing. Sketching expressive eyebrows, aggressive scowls and cigarettes. Get the guy out of his system. 

Mickey wasn’t the first one that caught Ian’s attention, and wouldn’t be the last. Ian used kohl-pencils, markers and he even used some of his watercolor. Usually he stuck to pencils and kohl because they were cheap and easy to come by. He saved watercolor and acrylic for more creative and serious art, not doodles. He couldn’t help himself to use the watercolor, itching for blue eyes and pink lips to come alive on paper. But that’s all it was; a fleeting moment with a southside scum that most likely would bash Ian’s head in than soberly admit that he’d given him a compliment. 

X

Godsmacked. Helpless. In-awe. All very good words to describe Ian’s feelings as he stared at Mickey. He was screaming, and Ian didn’t even fucking know that his mouth could expand that much; it took up half his face. Mickey also pointed a lot when he was upset, hands flailing all over the place. It was fucking endearing to be honest. 

Ian had this image in his head that Mickey had a composed anger, quick solid punches and threats pouring out of his mouth like it was a normal conversation. Clearly he was wrong. Kev and Lip didn’t seem faced so obviously this wasn’t news. Well, apparently it was news that Mickey was losing it. Losing it over Ian, of all people. 

“Can somebody fill me in?” 

Kev squinted at Ian, giving him a once over that Ian personally took offense over. He had lived nextdoor to the guy for years, but yeah sure let’s take a moment to figure out if Ian could be trusted with this little piece of information. 

“You’ve lived here all your life right?” Kev eventually said, and Ian nodded while Lip snorted, “I’m a stand up bro, I’m not gonna betray a brothers trust-”

“Why are you talking like this..”

“- so all I’m gonna say is; the answer to this riddle can be solved by hood-girl speak”

“Hood-girl speak? What the fuck is that? And how would I know what the fuck girls speak like?”

“Oh hey, cool your tits man; I’m trying to create some zen not war. Learn the language man, it might change your life. Like this math homework might change mine” 

Ian turned to Lip who was doing a bad job to keep his chuckles to himself. “Hood girl speak..” he mumbled to himself but saying it didn’t light any bulbs. What the hell. 

X 

  
  


“Fuck off” Mickey rasped out.

_ Oh. _ It was like opening a window and letting some fresh air in. Mickey barely looked at him, most of his face hidden behind the ice pack. Hood-girl speak. Ian might not be fluent but he had a hunch of what fuck off meant. 

“So you’ve been looking at me. I’m guessing that’s it’s alright for me to look back then?” Ian leaned forward, elbows resting on his thighs. “It won’t get me punched or worse?”

“I’m not your keeper, do the fuck you want” Mickey raised his eyes at the last part, blue meeting green. “No it fucking won’t”

“Alright. See you around, Milkovich” 

As Ian left he heard a faint ‘see ya, Gallagher’ and thought, maybe there was other ways to get Mickey out of his system. 

**Author's Note:**

> maybe some day i will write a fic where most of the scenes involve mick and ian, and not other people.  
> this is lacking very much of interaction between the two, i'm aware!!  
> it wasn't how i imagined the ending but it felt right. and also it felt like an beginning, rather than an end.  
> might continue this verse, we'll see. 
> 
> hope you enjoyed this, would love if you left a kudos or an comment :)


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